Fullmetal Neko My promise kept
by ItalyCatLuvsPasta
Summary: When a mysterious man encounters Ed on the train to central, he offers to give the Elric brothers what they've been after all these years since that fateful night. If fullmetal agrees to his terms of equivalent exchange, then he will be left with some major changes, and possibly some new life changes as well. Ed Neko. Read and review! Rated T for possible foul language.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! So I haven't done a Fullmetal Alchemist fanfic in quite a while, and my last one ended up getting accidentally deleted *sob* So please enjoy this and tell me what you think. NOTE: I have not seen brotherhood yet :) I'm just starting (I know a little late right? Lol) tell me what you think. Review!

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><p>"...Mom...I've, said sorry so many times. I don't know how else to say it. But I promise I'll make things right, I'm still working on it." A blonde haired teen said to a grave up on a hill with amber fire in his eyes, but those same fierce eyes welled with tears. "I...promise." He muttered as he set down the fresh flowers and took away the dry, dead ones. "I promise." He said one more time and then turned around and left. All he could hear in his mind was his mothers favorite song, though it had always sounded kinda sad to Ed and his brother, it always came to mind when he tried to always remember her favorite things.<p>

He made his way in silence away from Risembool, and tried to remember that there would always be a way to bring her back. And that he had sworn to Al that he would get his body back for him. Even if it cost him his life. With that thought he made his way down the quiet road and back away. He'd be needing to get back to central soon or Mustang would have a cow.

He was seventeen now, there wasn't a whole lot of time left before he would be considered an adult. Which of course he already considered himself one. Once he was back on the train to Central command he used the time to build up the fire in his heart, he knew that Alphonse was depending on him, that fateful night was not going to be their destiny. They would get back what they lost.

...

An hour had gone by and Ed was watching the sun set over the hills, a haze of pink and orange colored the horizon and gave the world a glow. He just knew he was gonna get it from Roy, _I'll be back in time for the damn exam. Don't you worry.._he had said to his colonel, but the more he thought of it, the more he slowly shrank into his seat with a look of exasperated dread.

"Man..." Ed sighed as he tried to block the man from his head, shoving his ranting away with him.

It was then that he heard what he thought was a 'psst' from somewhere around him. At first he shifted his eyes to the other passengers but no one was looking his way, so he dusted off the idea that someone was trying to get someones attention. But then...

"Psst..." It happened again! Ed curiously sat up a little more and looked around, but then a hand rested on his left shoulder from the seat behind him. At first he went rigid and his first instinct was to hit the stranger but as he turned and looked, he saw it was an old man.

"Sorry to startle you dear boy, but are you..." The man began but then glanced around and leaned in lower, Ed did the same. And this time the man whispered. "Are you Edward Elric? Trisha's boy?"

Those words struck the young alchemist and he at first wanted to ignore the man, figuring he was wanting an autograph, but when the man didn't push, he turned to look back at him again.

"Yeah..that's me, why?" Ed answered and shifted to be able to face the man better from his seat.

Golden orbs met a dusty grey as the boy watched and waited for answers. The tired sun was setting lower now, and the train was becoming shadowed more so.

"I know what you did." The man answered and gave the teen time to absorb what he'd said.

Edward was lost for words though, who was this guy? How could he possibly know? But he knew his mom too. How?

"I knew Trisha back when she was your age.." The elderly man continued, something felt strange here, the Elric boy couldn't place what it was, but he wanted to know more. "I always enjoyed her company, but you, you tainted her soul which had already been laid to rest."

With this Ed became furious and went to stand but the man kept a firm hold on his shoulder and prevented him from doing so.

"What'dya want huh?" The alchemist growled.

"It's not what I want, it's what you want." The man continued in a raspy voice. His eyes seemed empty but filled with something that was dark, possibly evil.  
>The man leaned in even lower to where Ed could feel his breath on the shell of his ear. "I can get it back...your brother's body."<p>

Amber eyes shot open wide in shock and brimmed with tears at such a hopeful lie. His heart was too crushed to fight, so he simply turned around and sat once again with his back to his seat. But the warm breath of the mans voice met his ear again in a whisper.

"All I ask, is that you accept my terms, and I can get it back for you, I swear on my very life."

Edward wanted nothing more than to believe him and know that it was true, but there was no way some old guy could fix his mistake. He didn't want him to, he wanted to fix what he'd done himself.

"If you give me something of equivalent exchange, I will give his body back to him, he will wake up with his own flesh and blood. He will have his taste, his smell, his clear sight without the blockade of armor."

The man couldn't see it but Edward's eyes were glassed over as he looked out as the last bit of sun fell behind the edge of the world. Casting a beautiful array of golden orange, and pink, with some strands of red wispy clouds.

"To be able to sleep, to feel the comfort of his pillow at night, to remember what it's like to swallow food, or feel the warmth of embrace..." The man went on as he broke through all of the boys walls. The teen knew what his brother had lost that night, it was everything. "I can give it back, I promise you that..if you will only give me one thing.."

Ed looked back at him with heartbroken wet eyes.

"W..What do you want?" The alchemist asked, and hoped to God, if there was one, that he wasn't a fool.

"All I want, is a fragment of your soul."

Ed looked confused and looked down as he pondered if what the man said was true. The night was becoming starry and the last few shallow beams of light faded away from the suns reign and the light of the moon was beginning to cast its cool essence down to the pale skin of Edward.

"How..?" He asked the man with a shaky voice.

"If you come with me after you get off in Central, I will help you. They say that the problem with promises is that when you've made one, it's bound to be broken. And at the edge of despair, lies a clarity in which one is almost happy...so why not accept this wing of grace.."

In his broken state of mind today, having just visited his mothers grave, and having had the man describe all of the things Alphonse had been without all these years, he wiped his eyes and nodded.

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><p>review!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two. I hope to keep this going so offer your feedback please.

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><p>As the train stopped at central station, Edward stood and made his way solemnly from the back to the front and got off. But what was he to do? Was he really going to do this? He, he was going to wait and find the philosophers stone, but...how old would he and Al be by the time they found it? It had already been years of them searching. And, every time they thought they'd found a lead, it turned out to be a fake. What if, Alphonse and he were well into their adult years, before they ever found it? That'd be good, but, their lives would have been wasted on searching to no end, for something that they aren't even positive exists.<p>

Ed felt nervous as the old man came from out of the train, now that he was standing he could see more of him. He was very thin, and looked to be withering in his old age, but yet he still stood before him. He had scraggly grey hair that sat upon his head, and looked to be wavy, and it was long enough to cover his ears. The moon lit his hair silver though and his skin looked some how less aged in the pale light of the night.

"Follow me dear boy.." The man said, and it was then that Ed realized he hadn't even gotten the mans name, maybe he was being foolish?

Never the less the young alchemist did as he said and followed him off onto a dirt road and into a creepy dark ally which smelled of must from the rain and he didn't get through it without seeing a fat black rat. As they walked Ed got this sinking feeling like he should just go back to his dorm at headquarters, he was sure Roy had sent out a search party by now. He was over four hours past the time he said he'd be back.

"Just through here please.." The man said in his tired, aged voice and he opened an old wooden door in the side of a building, and inside the home was dark and mysterious, and though everything inside him said that he shouldn't go, he did anyway. If there was anyway to fix what he'd done, even if it didn't sound very real, he had to try. "Sorry, I don't have electricity here, so just let me light up a flame." Ed heard the man say, though he couldn't see him as the door closed. The teen felt so vulnerable, so lost in this place. But it was only a moment later that the sound of a match strike sounded and Ed could see the light of flame glow on the mans wrinkled, worn hands. The candle was lit, and with that candle, the elderly man lit four more. So the room had some light, though it left plenty of room for shadow.

"Y..You know, maybe I should just go...sorry to have taken your time.." Ed said and made his way for the door but the man's chuckling voice stopped him just before grabbing the cold brass handle.

"It makes sense to be afraid, but don't be. I will not harm you. If you would still like to leave you may, I will still help you if you chose to come back. Or you could hear my words and learn something before you go."

With this the boy closed his tired eyes and took a deep breath, thinking hard. And when he exhaled he turned around and took the seat that the man was offering at an old wooden table. The home was more like an old cottage that belonged somewhere in the foothills, but still it was here. In the bottom center of a building. It was only large enough for a kitchen, a very small living room, a cubicle sized bathroom, and a room just large enough for a single size bed and one little dresser.

"There we go, here, have some hot tea..at least I have pretty hot running water here. Hmhm.." The man said as he lifted a tea kettle with shaking hands and held it under the sink faucet where fiery hot steam rose from the heat of the water. After filling it the man put a tea bag in a coffee cup and poured some all but boiling hot water over it, then handed it to Edward.

"Uh, thanks." Ed said, he used the spoon that was offered to mix around the bag to help it steep faster. Then the man without asking, dropped a sugar cube into it and Ed just nodded in thanks. He would have taken one anyways.

"Now then, my name is Ruel, I'm a traveler but I take up residence here in my little shack. I search for hopeless souls. For you see, I can see the despair in ones heart, by looking into their eyes."

The alchemist listened as he looked down at the designs in the wooden table and began picking at a loose chip of wood in its surface without really thinking that perhaps it might be rude to do so.

With that the man sat down beside Ed, close enough to look closely into the boys eyes. "And within yours I see so much hurt that I myself feel pain, but in desperate souls, there is a strength, a strength to do whatever it takes. At least within yours."

"H..How do you know all this? I've never met you even once."

Ruel smiled the way a grandfather would and looked down at the picked at piece of wood on his table.

"I have a gift of seeing a persons inner most secrets. I am not one most people would be willing to be around, I enjoy the taste of souls, it keeps me here on this earth.."

At that Ed looked up at him quizzically and was concerned for a moment, this guy was serious. But did, that make him..a homunculus or something?

"My such a doubtful expression! It's alright my boy, here." Ruel said gently as he set down a piece of paper before the boy, it had quite fancy writing on it and it was clearly a contract.

"What does this say?" Ed asked.

"This is the contract for whom ever agrees to trade a whole, a half, or a fraction of his or her soul, to obtain what they most dearly desire." The man answered and handed Edward a pen, just in case. "If you agree to give me just one quarter of your heart and soul, I will give you your lost limbs, and your brothers body back to him."

Ed's eyes began to water once more as he contemplated. What would happen? Could this guy also bring his mother back?

"Unfortunately, I cannot bring back your mother without taking your whole soul, for you see, for each soul I heal, or for something such as giving little Alphonse's body back, it takes a portion of my own soul, so to do so I need to replace that soul fragment I lose each time."

Ed was in shock, had the man read his thoughts?!

"What will happen if I give you a quarter of my soul? Will...will I die? My little brother needs me." The alchemist questioned in an almost pleading voice, the candle light flickered around the room as the man sighed and his chair seemed to groan for him.

"You will slowly die, yes. Unless, you accept the soul fragment from another creature."

"Uh!? I can't do that! That's killing another creature!" Ed snapped as he stood pushing his chair back. Ruel looked up at him from his seat, keeping his calm expertly.

"No, human souls do not heal the way animal's souls do. Humans are much too passionate, and we can embrace love to the point of giving up our own lives to save another. An animal's soul heals. If I take a quarter of say, a dog or a cats soul and merge it with yours, you will heal and be able to live on. And so will the animal, because they do not need to replace lost soul fragments."

Edward was taken back by this, and sighed heavily.

"I...I need time to think about this." The boy said and shook his head, he was tired, and hungry. He needed to get some rest tonight and think it over.

"Of course, I understand. If you wish to see me again, simply come back to this place. " The mysterious man answered as he stood and opened the door for the teen. "Have a good night, and walk home safely." He said with a smile and gave him a pat on the shoulder as he let him out.

Edward didn't say anything as he stepped out into the narrow street. But he did look back at the man with a curious look and then walked away. Heading back to Central headquarters.

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><p>Review and I will update soon! The more and faster I get feedback, the faster I update. Hope you liked it.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for reviews!

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Carefully Ed snuck in through his bedroom window, Alphonse would be there and obviously he would see him climb in, but at least this saved him the lecture from colonel sarcasm for one day. He'd have to face him in the morning though.

"nng..."The boy groaned as he dragged his tired self through the opening, he was more than ready to greet his pillow. Once he was inside and on his feet, he used his gloved hands to dust himself off and yawned but as he looked up he nearly had a heart attack.

"Good evening Fullmetal..." None other than Roy said as he sat at the small daveno beside Al. Ed looked exasperated as he slouched his shoulders and hung his head.

"Damn.." He uttered to himself.

"Damn is right. Do you have any idea how late you are?! I had to make up a story for you at the exam that you missed." Mustang lectured as he got to his feet and sighed. "Where have you been? You had Al worried."

Ed hadn't thought up a reason for why he'd been missing. Crap. Quickly he put his mind to work.

"I helped an old guy off the train and to his place. And I spent a little longer in Risembool than I had intended. Sorry. Look I'm real tired, can you finish your speech tomorrow?" The blonde asked as he yawned and plopped onto his bed. Roy twitched slightly in annoyance but then sighed once more. He'd give the kid some slack.

"Yeah sure. But you had better be ready for that exam in the mo- uh..." Roy stopped as he heard soft breaths from the teen. Already asleep. "Hm...good night Alphonse. "

"Good night sir.." The armor replied and laid down on his bed for another one of many sleepless nights.

...

Though he'd been exhausted, the blonde alchemist had woken only an hour after he'd fallen asleep. So now it was five a.m. It was still dark and starry outside, he'd spent the night thinking over what the old man had said. What was his name? Ruel? Yeah that was it.

Silently he sat up from his warm bed and adjusted his jacket. He'd fallen asleep fully dressed apparently. As he stood he looked over at his brother who returned his gaze.

"You're up early brother.."Al said in his baby soft voice. The older of the two nodded and rebraided his hair.

"Yeah, I've got a headache. I'm gonna go for a walk down the hall and try to clear my head." He said as he made his way out, Al was suspicious, but it wasn't rare for his big brother to go for a quick walk in the night or early morning once in a while.

Once in the hall Ed went about six doors down where there was a restroom and he went in and opened the one window that was at the back of the room. Trying to be as quiet as possible, the boy hopped out and landed gracefully on the ground below, and thanks to his small form, it was easy for him to sneak past any guards that may have been prowling. Though he didn't see any. With a swift spring in his step he took off to find the mysterious man.

...

He'd walked for almost an hour before he made it to the dark ally that the man lived down. For some reason it was a little more eerie now that the city was totally silent.

With beads of cold sweat accumulating at his hair line, he slowly stepped down the dirt pathway. His senses were in overdrive all the way to the door, and at first he wondered if it was way too early to show up. He was an old guy after all. So he found himself standing nervously outaide the door with a tight knot in his stomach was welling. Churning to the point that he wondered if he would hurl. This was strange, he didnt usually get this freaked out.

Ed was yanked from his tired mind when the handle on the door turned with a metal clank and slowly creeked open. The boy was at a loss of what to do, so he stood there shaking like a two year old afraid of the dark.

"Hello there my boy, I heard you out here but I started to wonder if you were alright."Ruel said as he opened the door wider and welcomed the alchemist in.

"Uh..yeah, sorry." Edward replied and slowly stepped into the little cottage in the side of the building.

"Here..."The old man offered and set a cup of hot tea before his guest when he sat at the table.

"Oh..um, thanks.." The teen replied and took a slow drink of the steaming beverage.

"You looked cold, you were shaking. Hmhm.."The man said with a wispy chuckle. Ed blushed a little, he hadn't been shaking from the cold, but he wasn't about to admit that. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

Edward shook his head no and yawned.

"Hmhm, good." Ruel said and grabbed a pen and brought the contract sheet back out. As well as a small silver trinket of some kind.

"Um..what's all this?" Ed asked as he looked at the things the strange man had gathered and set before him.

"You did return to discuss my offer did you not?"

Fearing he may have insulted the man the teen raised his hands dismissivley and smiled sheepishly.

"Y..yeah! I did.."

"Good to hear. Though I must explain the rest. This is a decision that should be made after much thought has gone into it. For once you trade a soul, you may never have it back."

Ed looked down thinking hard for a time. The frigid wind whined outside to be let in as he looked back up with a fire in his golden eyes.

"You will put my brothers soul in his body that he lost? And you will return my arm and leg?" The boy made sure there was no trickery and then picked up his cup and took a drink.

Ruel raised a brow, the boy was doubting him?

"You have my word. Edward Elric."

Ed sighed heavily and closed his eyes, and after a moment he looked back up into the mans grey ones and nodded.

"I accept your offer. I'll do anything to keep my promise to Al."

Ruel took on a sense of seriousness and stood from the table and with a shaky hand gently pushed the contract up to Edwards hand.

"Please sign the contract."

The alchemist was a little suprised at the old mans change of demeanor, but looked down at the contract and skimmed over it, reading the more important parts, then picked up the pen and signed his name.

It was then that suddenly a spike ejected itself from the shaft of the pen and stabbed into the his palm. Instantly he winced and dropped it.

"Tch...the hell?" He complained as he held his hand and crimson leaked out from the puncture wound.

"Our contract is by blood dear boy. Please allow your blood to drip onto the space provided." Ruel instructed and watched as the boy moved his hand over a small circle next to the signature line and dripped the thick red substance onto the parchment.

Edward looked up in confusion when the elderly old man seemed to glow a deep purple and blue color, and it was only a moment after that his body seemed to evaporate and what remained was a young, handsome man. He had night for hair and red eyes like rubies that glistened as if glowing themselves. As he continued to reveal himself, black angel like wings made themselves known and they spread out on either side. In a state of shock Ed got up from his chair and backed away towards the door. Every trace of the elderly man had disappeared and a new stranger stood before him.

"W...who are you?" The Elric boy stuttered. He could hear and feel the pounding of his heart in his chest as he looked on at the creature before him.

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Please review! I thrive on reviews and it helps me to give you timely updates!


	4. Chapter 4

Your reviews have been wonderful! Though I wish I could receive a few more. Haha, anyway enjoy this next chapter and tell me what you think. :)

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Ed stumbled a little backwards and tried to use alchemy to create a weapon for himself but there wasn't enough room, so instead he transmutated his automail arm to create an impressive blade.

"G...Get back...I...I changed my mind!"Edward shouted and kept his guard up, he'd never seen anything quite like this before. The feeling was strange as well. As if the room had a different aura, a dangerously sweet one.

"Hmhm...now, now my child. You and I are bound in contract. You cannot simply change your mind. I told you that this was a hefty decision to make. " The man who once was Ruel stated and gave the boy an interesting kind of smile.

"Tch..watch me!"Ed said and spun on his heel to run out but as he did he was slammed with a massive pulse of pressure from what almost felt like his heart. It was enough to make him call out and collapse to the ground, huffing for air. As he tried to stand to run away, he would collapse again, as if he were pulling on the end of a leash that refused to give.

The cold snowy ground was stinging the teens face as he was forced to lay against it. He could feel the moisture soaking into his clothes and hair.

"Tsk..tsk..." A voice came from not far behind him, he didn't have the strength to look back, which sent him into a blind panic. He squirmed and writhed and all he managed to do was begin to hyperventelate.

Suddenly the boy was able to look up just enough to see the...whatever it was, walk around in front of him. And all Edward could focus on was the deep red eyes that smiled softly down at him. The creature crouched slowly and Ed looked down at his black leather boots to avert his eyes from meeting with his.

"Shhhh...there, there...easy...you wanted to help your brother yes? And get your limbs back?" The voice said softly in a rich, velveteen voice that nearly forced Ed to calm at its words.

The alchemist nodded, it was all he could manage.

"Alright then." The man with pitch wings said and gently lifted the boy into his arms, cradling him close to his chest which Ed found to be very warm and though he tried, he couldn't bring himself to struggle.

"Tch...damn it thats enough!"Ed suddenly yelled and forced the strength to his body and he thrashed in the mans arms. "Let me go!"

"I cannot." Was all the mysterious one said and he set the teen on his feet in the cabin. "Alright...as par our contract, we will commence at once. "

With that the man opened up a hidden door in a closet, and all too easily flung the teen over his shoulders as if he were a mere sack of potatoes. Of course the Elric boy faught back, but it was a lost cause and for some reason any alchemic attacks didn't work on his captor.

Once they went through the doorway, it closed behind them, and they were at a stair case of probably thirteen steps. It was well lit and looked more like a lab than anything else. Off white walls with a light blue and purple trim on top and bottom. A linoleum tile floor with a simple design in each square. As he was carried, Ed saw that there was a counter top that ran along the wall, and stopped at another doorway which inside was a bathroom. The thing that frightened Ed most was the cage that was there. Iron bars too big to bend or break, and big enough to hold a lion, or a person for that matter.

"Put me down!" Edward yelled, and to his surprise, he did. With a thud Ed fell and landed on his backside rather hard on the cold floor. "Tch..bastard..." He mumbled.

This was when the winged man stood up straight once again and adjusted his clothes.

"Edward Elric, my name is Ruel. I am a lone demon. It is a pleasure to be in service with you. Now then, please remove your clothes.." Ruel said and his rather charming red eyes shimmered as he looked down at the teen. His pale features were flawless in the white light of the room, and his threaded silk black hair framed his face in such a way that made him look like more of a prince than a dark creature.

"What?! Go to hell!" Ed retorted and took a more firm stance. "Look, lets get this over with. I want you to fulfill your promise Ruel."

"Your wish is my command. " The demon said and moved to Ed and before the alchemist could even react, the man was swiftly sliding his clothes off! He had no strength to stop the man, and he moved with such precision that when Edward would move to stop him he was already working on another article to remove. Ed blushed furiously and clenched his teeth as he threw his hands over his groin to protect his pride.

"The hell!" The boy yelled as Ruel took his pocket watch over to the counter top and set it down on the smooth grey surface.

The man sighed exasperatedly and turned back to his contractee.

"This is all apart of fulfilling your request..so please try to endure it." Ruel said as he opened the shower door and turned the water on. "Please take a quick shower. You have six minutes."

"No way!"

"Must we argue? Don't you want your brother to wake as a boy again tomorrow morning?"

"Tch..."Ed snarled and looked down in fury for a few moments.

"Five minutes..." The man noted and it was then that Edward scrambled to the shower and shut the door and began his work. None of this made sense to him. It was like it wasn't really happening. What would Al do if he woke up in his own body again? Would he panic? Or think he was dreaming?

With these new thoughts Ed felt a new wave of excitement come over him. His brother was going to wake up in his own body! And be able to share breakfast with him! Wait...how would he 'wake up' if he didn't sleep?

"30 seconds child.." Ruels voice called and the young alchemist ran the water over his face one more time, shut off the water and then opened the door an inch and said,

"Towel please..."

Ruel complied and held up a cream colored towel and handed it to him. Carefully Edward stepped out onto the bath mat and proceeded in drying himself off and then giving his head a shake to lose the majority of the rest of the water. Of course, he wouldn't admit that he had intentionally tried to soak his captor, but the man had just blocked the water rockets with an open wing.

"Alright. Now then, come here please and sit in this chair okay?" The black haired Casanova instructed and laid a doctors chair back so it was nearly flat but not entirely. The head of the chair was just barely lifted.

Caution hit Ed like a mallet to the gut when he looked on at the chair. He didn't like anything that had to do with doctors. Reluctantly he forced himself with a towel around his waist, over to the chair and sat down. He realized how tired he was, hospital seats and beds were not comfortable, yet these ones felt like a balance of airy cotton all neatly stuffed inside a matress-like seat.

"Um...I...I have to...um...Al will be worried, and I-"

"Will be fine. Now stay put young man or I'll strap you down"

Ed looked appalled.

"Tch..heh..ya right? It'd be easy to escape that..." The elric boy pushed and smirked but even he knew it was just talk. Even in this scenario he still had his attitude.

The demon chuckled and went closer to his charge and grabbed a hold of the straps and pinned the boy down, clasping them into place on either side.

"H...Hey wait! What are you doing?! I did what you said!" He bellowed with an explosive voice. "Y...You said you wouldn't if-"

"Calm yourself. This is merely a precaution to me."He answered as he told the boy to take a deep breath, which Ed did but as he did Ruel began unlocking his automail from his body.

At this point there was no conversing with the elric alchemist, instantly the boy made his best efforts to stop the demon.

"What the hell are you doing?! What does any of this have to do with our agreement! Don't take them, please!"

"In order to take a portion of your soul these need to be gone. Not only that but these could be dangerous, you dont need them right now."

With that the demon separated the silvery automail from the nerve endings, and though he tried to prevent it, Edward groaned and winced loudly in pain, huffing as he tensed his muscles but tried not to. He knew that made it worse.

"There we are, shh...it'll be alright child..I am sworn to contract, and will not harm you." Ruel said in soothing tones and brushed the boys unbraided hair aside and out of his face. "Now then, Edward Elric. You have a choice. I am going to be extracting one quarter of your soul from the whole. This will be excruciating, however, if you wish, I can put you to sleep for this stage..."

Ed looked panicked to a point and sweat dripped down his face.

"I...I..."He stuttered, he hadn't felt this vulnerable in quite some time. This was doing a toll on his mind. He was in contract with a demon, strapped down to a bed in some kind of lab, or doctors room, and he was missing two limbs. Not to mention we was stark naked. But right as he thought about that the demon placed a light salmon colored blanket over him. The contact made him shiver but it soon comforted him.

"I need an answer child.."

Ed glared.

"Tsk..stop calling me that! I'm not a child!"

The demon Ruel just chuckled and sighed shaking his head as he waited for the boys answer.

"I...I want..to be asleep.." The alchemist said with a blush and the corner of the demons mouth pulled up just a touch into a soft smile.

"Very well.." With that Ruel stood over him and leaned down and whispered a few very soft and quiet words into Ed's left ear.

"W..what?" He asked, confused, but soon he began to feel very distant and for a moment he wanted to panic, but he simply couldn't. The poisonous words of Ruel intoxicated his mind and he couldn't grasp anymore at consciousness.

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Review! I love how much you are all enjoying this! I would like more reviews though from all the other hundreds of people. Lol. Keep a look out for the next chapter. :)


	5. Chapter 5

When morning came all of head quarters was in an uproar, at least the west side where Roy's men were. Both of the Elric boys were missing now. When they were late to check in and Ed had missed the exam, people had gone to check on them but when they'd opened then door the room was empty.

The strangest part was the cameras throughout central headquarters hadn't caught anything on film. Not one thing. It was as if they had just stopped working all together.

"Sir there has been no sign of either of the Elric brothers. We have searched every region of the city." Falman reported. Roy sighed heavily and laced his fingers together, resting his head against them.

"Where are they..." The colonel muttered to himself. "Switch out the search groups so that they can take a break. If the boys are still in Central we'll find th-"

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" A voice screamed from somewhere within the building. Roy jumped to his feet and rushed out of the room with Riza and Falman right behind him.

"Sir what was that!?" Havoc shouted as he ran up to them and joined the parade.

"I don't know but-" Roy had begun to answer but stopped and halted when a boy stumbled out of what was the Elrics room.

The child looked horrified and was looking at his hands as if he were confused. He had sandy blonde hair and smooth hazel eyes. And something about him struck Roy as familiar.

"C...Colonel Mustang...w...what's happened?! Where's brother? I'm scared!" The teen shivered and continued to look over his body and feel his face.

With a look of shock the group gazed down at him. Slowly Mustang kneeled down and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Is that you Al?" He asked in slight worry.

The boy looked up at the dark eyed man.

"I...I think so. But..my body... Why do I have my body?!" Alphonse cried and looked over his skin and then jumped to his feet but fell into Roy. His balance was all off.

"I have to find brother and make sure he's okay! If I have my body back...it..it could mean that-"

"Alphonse Elric..you need to go to the infirmary and be checked over. I will find Edward. That's an order, understand?" Roy commanded as he stood and helped the boy to his feet. Alphonse was clearly worried about his brother and in a state of shock from being in his own skin again.

"No! I'm going too! I need to find him he's my brother!" Al belted and made to run but only found himself too weak and collapsed again. This time he screamed in frustration and tears came to his eyes. "Damn him! What did he do?! I bet he did it! That terrible thing! Stupid! Stupid brother!"

"Woah easy...calm down now." Riza tried to comfort but the kid was in hysterics. Even as she tried to rub his back he flinched away from the touch.

"Al what terrible thing?" Havoc asked and Roy kept close attention on what he would say.

Al slammed his fists to the floor and cradled his face in them.

"A few months ago..he found out that he could sacrifice himself...b..but..."

Riza put a hand on the colonels shoulder and Roy understood.

"It will be alright. Just go get some rest. You don't have the strength to go anywhere anyway.." Mustang said and had Havoc and Falman take the young teen away to the medical wing. Even if he protested, which he did. Poor Alphonse screamed the whole way for his brother.

"Come on.." Roy said after the boy had been taken out of sight. "There's no telling what Edward has gotten himself into."

...

Darkness. That's all there was. No sound, no feel, no anything. Just black. Who was he? What was he? Did...he even exist? Wait, there was a fire. Why was there fire? The vision of his house flashed in his mind. Oh yeah, it was her. She had lived there. And, so was he. Dad. No, wait, he wasn't there. He left. It was his brother. Little brother, Alphonse.

"Edward..."

'Huh?...that's my name right?' Edward thought to himself in the darkness. Who was saying his name?

"Wake up child.."

'Is...it mom?...no..moms dead. She died...so..who?'

Slowly a faint glow came to pierce the dark. Like a flash light in the night. For a moment he wanted to shy away from it, but after a time the light grew brighter and it was like a life line from the deepest depths of the black sea. As he reached for it the light became larger and blinding.

"There you are. Open your eyes more. " A voice said and whoever it was snapped his fingers on either side of the boys head.

"Mm...what?..where...?" Ed's soft voice uttered but cracked.

"Ah, there you go. Vitals are good, waking up a little slowly but all in good time. Hmhm.."

After another ten minutes or so the alchemist came to a little better, and began to open his eyes to a point that he could focus. The first thing he noticed was how cold he was, he felt as if he'd been soaking in a tub of ice water, yet when he managed to look down at himself he saw that he was under a heavy blanket of purple color.

He tried to snuggle into the material as best he could but it just wasn't enough, and he began to shiver.

"W..what's ha..happening?" The boy asked in a cold stutter. The room was painfully bright as well, and for some reason it stung his eyes to no end.

"You're waking up. The process went well, your body is in mild shock so its imperative that you remain resting. Unfortunately I am not so kind, I followed my deal of the contract so now I'm afraid you'll have to go Edward Elric. Hmhmhm." Ruel said nonchalantly and with that picked up the teen blanket and all and put his Alchemist watch around his neck like a collar, then took him upstairs and dropped him outside the apartment and closed the door.

"W..what!? Y..you..!" Ed began but was too cold, so with the best of his ability he began to make his way back to headquarters. The air was freezing and his feet burned with pain from the icy ground, but at least he had the blanket. His stark naked body was at least somewhat covered by it.

After twenty minutes of wobbling through the quiet streets, Ed found that he could no longer take the cold and all he could do was crouch down where he stood and wrap the blanket tightly around himself. He couldn't stop the shivers but those weren't his worry, what was killing him was his frozen feet. They were bright cherry red and swollen with ice particles forming on the sides and heals.

"P...please...h..help.." He muttered. "Please someone help..." He whimpered and hot tears began to fall and cascaded down his pale cheeks. The wind began to pick up a little, as if to tell him to give up. "Pl...please...if...there is a God...please..I'm sorry, please help me.."

Without a sound the young alchemist sniffled and tried to keep what heat he had trapped inside the blanket. But just then he heard faint voices, at first he just played them off as another insult from the wind, but then they became louder and louder until he heard shouts and footsteps running towards him. On instinct he panicked and jumped up in a stagger and immediately made a spear to attack with but strong hands grabbed his weak ones and stopped him.

"Easy! Easy kid, you're safe now. Calm down...its me.." Colonel Mustang said firmly but with reassurance. "Damn..what happened to y- uh...Edward...what..." The black haired man stuttered and looked at the strange swishing tail that the boy had behind him. With a sigh the military man just picked the kid up in one easy hoist and held him close as he brought him to the car and laid him inside. It would be best to figure things out later, right now at least they had found him.

...

Thanks for your feedback! Sorry it took so long to update, I'm normally better about that :) review review:) !


	6. Chapter 6

The drive back to headquarters was silent. Mustang was driving and it was just him, Riza, and the trauma soaked fullmetal alchemist.

In the back Edward shook and stayed in the fetal position. Hugging his knees as if to hold onto reality at all. Of course he wasn't sure if this was real or not anymore.

"Sir, what do you think of all this?" Riza questioned quietly to not startle Ed if he were to hear.

Roy just kept his dark eyes fixed ahead of him on the wet road. Both of his white clad hands grasped at the steering wheel.

"I'm not sure. I just have to get him to a hospital bed." Was all he answered with as he slowed down and pulled into the parking garage.

He was ready for a fight if the Elric boy wasn't in his right mind, but when he opened the back door to take him out he was relieved to see that Edward was asleep. Snuggly wrapped within the purple blanket Ruel had been so kind to let him have.

Without a word the two officials took the victim in through the doors of the building and were greeted by paramedics and a bed on wheels for the sleeping figure.

"Colonel Mustang Sir, a room has been prepared already and a doctor has been selected to look at Edward Elric." A medic informed and began to try and wake the teen up but Roy immediately stopped him.

"Let him rest. He is likely to be violent when he wakes. Judging from how he responded when we found him." Mustang warned and sighed rubbing his head. "How is Alphonse?"

The medic looked down, letting his green eyes gaze at the floor.

"Um...well, he's asleep. We had no choice but to sedate him. He was attacking everyone, and two of our doctors are injured and in recovery.."

Again the Colonel sighed and this time stuffed his hands in his coat pockets.

"Alright. I will go check on them later. Oh, until I find out what the hell has happened, keep them separate." He finalized and left Ed to the medics and went to his office to write a report; Which he was greatly dreading.

...

The sun casted its golden sunset arms through the window and lit up the still sleeping boys face. But slowly he began to shuffle and avoid the light as best he could.

"Mm..." He mumbled, and attempted to roll over, only to find he couldnt. The feeling of being trapped made his eye lids lift to bring focus to the world. "W..what..?..R..Ruel where- uh...oh ya.." Ed remembered and attempted to sit up but found his wrists and ankles were firmly strapped down. He wanted to be angry but he didn't have the energy. So intead he just laid there for a time sort of glaring at the cieling. The blanket on top of him was blue and the knitted type. He also realized that he was wearing clothes of some kind, though he couldn't see them, he could feel them.

Suddenly the lights were flicked on and he flinched away from it. It was too bright! It stung his eyes like a thousand needles.

"Tch! Shut it off!" He growled and clamped his eyes shut tightly.

"Good you're awake. My name is doctor William Hophsten. I will be your doctor." A man of his early fifties or so said and approached. Ed didn't know why but his stomach churned and twisted. This guy made him nervous, he hated doctors.

"Doctor? Why the hell do I need a doctor. Look man I'm fine, I gotta go see my little brother." The blonde teen demanded in a rather hoarse voice and winced as his eyes began to be able to tolerate the light. "Tch...so damn bright..mmmm..."

Doctor William ignored the boys order and instead walked closer to him with a clip board and a blank sheet, which he started making notes on with what looked to be a blue inked pen.

"My, my...so child, what happened to you?" The man asked but as he did a voice cleared from the doorway.

"Debriefing is my department doctor. Leave us here for a while, you can look him over when I'm done getting the information I need." None other than Roy Mustang instructed and with that the doctor left quietly and closed the door behind him.

"So..." The Colonel started as he made his way over to Ed and took a seat beside him. "It's nice to see you're awake. You know you're kind of a pain in the ass kid."

Edward glared daggers as if to say 'seriously?! I go through life and death and you give me crap?!'

"Can it Colonel sarcasm, I did what I had to. Now untie me wont ya, before I bust this bed." Fullmetal retorted and struggled a bit in the bindings.

An irritated tic appeared on Roys brow as he smiled half heartedly to keep from doing anything stupid.

"Well I'm happy to hear your usual charming attitude is still intact. So kitten, what happened."

Ed fell into a look of fury.

"Don't call me that ya damn idiot!"

"Tch! Why you ungrateful brat! I called you that cuz you are one!" Roy proceeded in yanking on the orange/gold cat ears on either side of Ed's head. However...

"..Uh..w..wha?...what the hell are you grabbing!?" Edward panicked and struggled to get his hands free so he could feel whatever was attached to his head now.

Roy was surprised to see this reaction.

"You mean you don't know?..." The man questioned and then thought, 'I wonder what he will do when he finds that tail of his.'

"Don't know what!? Come on Colonel Mustang tell me!"

Uh-oh. He used his professional name properly. Carefully to not freak the kid out anymore, the flame alchemist stood and grabbed a mirror of the wall and held it up so Ed could see himself.

"...what..are..." Ed started with furrowed brows and stared into the reflection but then that was it. "GYAAAAAAAA!? IMMA FREAKING CAAAAAAAATTT!HELP! HELP! GET THEM OOOOOFF!"

And so the panic began. The whole building shook with young Edward Elrics pleas.

...

"Uh...t..thats brother..." Alphonse stuttered. He'd just begun to wake up when his big brothers flailing notes came bellowing down the halls and into his room. "B..brother...I'm here..." Al mumbled and tried to grasp consciousness. It took a little while but at least he came to better. Thankfully he wasn't strapped down.

"I..I'm coming big brother!" Al huffed and pulled himself to go to the direction Ed's rants were coming from.

...

Without much energy Roy picked himself up from behind a counter top and sighed heavily with a groan.

"Don't panic.." Too late for that though right?

Edward was breathing heavily as he laid in his bed, this would be hard to get through.

"Alright, ehem. Now then...care to tell me what sort of decision got you into this tight fix fullmetal?"

The blonde just sighed heavily, wishing he was free of his bonds. His golden cat slit eyes peered out as the last glow of sun fell behind the horizon.

...

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